1 Timothy 4:6-10
I’m not an athlete, not really, but I run for fitness. I like the 3-4 mile range best, you have enough distance to get somewhere, but it still isn’t a huge time commitment for the day. The farthest I’ve run at one time is about 9 miles.
Running isn’t difficult, but there are some skills that help you along the way.
Paul’s instruction to Timothy in this section of his letter mirrors those skills in a lot of ways.
Know the Course
“If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ…” 1 Timothy 4:6a
Runners usually develop an awareness for distance, an eye for potential problems and a willingness to guide others through the ground they have covered.
Timothy would need an eye for course ahead of him. Keeping the brethren mindful of the dangers of the false teachings of the last days, but also of the sanctification of “the word of God and prayer.” (v.5)
Here’s where this gets hard. If the details of various false teachers and teachings were all that was preached, how would that prepare the believer for the life of faith?
When I am talking someone through one of my favorite running routes, I’m going to tell him where to run. I’m going to give him the path to follow, not tell him the name of every other street.
Paul’s instruction here is that Timothy should teach them and lead them in “the word of God and prayer” and in the process the false teaching would be made clear as the truth of God’s word and the richness of fellowship with God was more fully known.
Get the Right Nutrition
“…nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.” 1 Timothy 4:6b
As I’m consistent in running I can tell how things like weather, sleep and nutrition affect how I do when I’m running. For instance, I know that the combination of warm temps and high humidity make me uncomfortable. Just like I know that eating a big meal of pizza and Doritos right before a run won’t help me set record times.
The right nutrition for walking with God are “the words of faith and of good doctrine”. This is any teaching grounded in God’s word and explained to give ready application.
Our diet needs to be God’s word. We should be consuming it ourselves daily, we should be sharing it with family and friends whenever and however we can, and we should be seeking to be fed from it in church.
Avoid known Obstacles
“But refuse profane and old wives’ fables…” 1 Timothy 4:7a
I have a terrible problem with dogs when I run. They chase me, I can do everything right and still they’ll chase me. One time I was bit by a big white German Shepherd on a run near my house. I was just running along when it came out of nowhere and then as I was trying to calm the beast down it quickly stepped in and bit me in the thigh. I haven’t run passed that house since without checking, and I’m MUCH more aware of my surroundings as I run.
Timothy would need to be aware of the potential obstacles in his path as well. The coming heresy of the end times isn’t the only issue Timothy would face, he needed to refuse the “profane and old wives fables” the false teachings that were already being seen in churches of his day.
The “profane and old wives fables” were probably the jewish extra-biblical teachings, and possibly the old religious ways of the people at Ephesus.
There are a lot of things like this that we can carry into religion today. Far from being an indictment of elderly woman, this would involve any purely traditional practice that is given the weight of scripture. Traditions such as this have the potential to be more than just “extra”, they can be dangerous, weighing down the believer with baggage that God never intended for him or her to carry.
Get the Right Exercise
“…and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. 8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.” 1 Timothy 4:7b-8
Running for exercise isn’t the only form of exercise I should get if I want to be truly fit and to have the joint and core strength I need to keep running. I also need stretches and core strength training.
Instead of carrying the extra weight of these fables and traditions the man of God is to be exercised in godliness.
When I exercise I know that I am working out the body God has given me so that I can use it for His glory. But my exercise in godliness has a profit both now and into eternity.
Look for the Reward
“9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation. 10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” 1 Timothy 4:9–10
As we exercise and get our diet of healthy doctrine, we are looking for the reward of our Savior.
Runners put their bodies through all kinds of physical training to reach certain goals or prepare for certain events. Those events come, the winners are rewarded and you enjoy the achievement, but it’s short-lived.
The faithful servant of God is looking for the return of his Savior and will live in the joy and reward of a race well run, eternally.
Your Turn
Run well
Do you know the course that is before you? Take some time over the next months and years to get to know some faithful servants of God who have been serving Him for years. Learn the course from some that have gone before.
Think about your spiritual diet. Will your diet naturally lead to godliness?
How are you exercising yourself to godliness? Are you practicing the reps of self-denial and stretching the muscles of faith?
Don’t lose sight of the eternal reward. We can sometimes talk ourselves into earthly exercise for the effects it has on a day, our spiritual strength and endurance training is vain without the goal of entering eternity and hearing “well done” from our Savior.
